Video baby monitor hacking sparks security concerns

ST. LOUIS - A disturbing story out of Ohio has many KSDK viewers talking. Someone hacked into the video baby monitor Heather Schreck uses to keep tabs on her infant daughter.

"About the time I saw it moving, I also heard a voice again start screaming at my daughter. He was screaming 'wake up baby' and then just a long 'aaaaahhhhh' screaming at her," said Schreck.

What happened inside her home can happen anywhere. Video baby monitors are attached to IP networks. Cyber-security expert Dr. Patrick Crowley of Observable Networks in Clayton tells us hackers can use a program to browse networks for them, and see if the default passwords have been changed.

"If the password has been changed, the program moves on to the next victim. If the password has not been changed, the computer program logs in to the device and starts taking advantage of it," said Crowley.

Something he says is not hard to do.

"It's a very common activity for hackers once they get a foothold in one device to attempt to pivot from that device to other vulnerable devices in the network," he said.

Crowley says there's an easy way to keep strangers out of your nursery.

"Most often you get some new technology, you bring it home and find that it works and then you start enjoying it," he advises. "Most people would be well-advised to take an extra few minutes and enable encryption and change those passwords."

He tells us hackers are using the same tricks to get access to corporate networks. We've attached Crowley's entire interview that includes cyber-security tips to keep your home and your business safe.